01 / Public sector
Workforce intelligence
Bringing research and labor market data to workforce strategy, credential alignment, and public sector decisions through my work at Lightcast.
Explore Lightcast ↗ Author. Speaker. Workforce leader.
Skills open
doors.
Let’s build
the pathways.
I’m Dr. Christopher Laney. I connect research, policy, and people to help leaders turn a changing world of work into greater economic opportunity.
Dr. Christopher Laney · Moscow, Idaho
National Workforce Policy Leader
✳Labor Economist
✳Speaker & Author
Coming November 30
Chasing Skills
Building Essential Skills Through Life’s Unplanned Lessons
Life rarely follows the plan. Those unexpected moments can become some of our most valuable lessons.
In Chasing Skills, I blend candid personal stories and thoughtful research to explore how everyday experiences build communication, creativity, critical thinking, collaboration, and more. A cow costume becomes a lesson in communication. A crashed computer tests perseverance. Leadership requires more than being put in charge.
As AI changes what we can produce, the decisions behind our work still matter. This is an invitation to notice what life teaches us—and put that learning to work somewhere new.
On shelves November 30, 2026 · Print & ebookPre-Order ↗For launch conversations, bookstore inquiries, and author events, get in touch below.Meet Christopher
Connecting the
evidence to
what’s possible.
Dr. Christopher Laney is the Vice President of Public Sector Impact and a Labor Economist at Lightcast, where he specializes in education, workforce development, economic mobility, and using labor market data to create a more equitable workforce within communities. Laney leads initiatives within Lightcast’s Public Sector division, working alongside national nonprofits and foundations to develop strategies for workforce transformation and systemic change. His efforts focus on preparing communities for the future of work and building pathways that promote greater social and economic equity.
Throughout his career at Lightcast, Laney has collaborated with state governments on the development of policies related to education and labor markets. He has also partnered with a variety of stakeholders on key projects related to legislative priorities, including credentials of value, emerging industries, sector analysis, and the economic impact of workforce and career and technical education (CTE) programs. His work has spanned several states, including Indiana, Michigan, Florida, Maryland, and Mississippi.
Before joining Lightcast, Laney was a workforce development practitioner in Florida, where he led the nation’s largest high school student exploration conference. He also developed legislative priorities for the local workforce board and brought together community stakeholders statewide to address education and workforce challenges. Laney’s research, including his dissertation on the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) and its impact on the economic mobility of disenfranchised young adults, has influenced both policy and practice. He also served as the lead researcher for the State of Students report in Florida from 2015 to 2020.
Research & policyEvidence that informs action
Speaking & writingIdeas that move the conversation
Leadership & buildingOpportunity put into practice
On stage & in conversation
Big shifts.
Practical conversations.
Keynotes, panels, and leadership conversations for workforce, education, government, and nonprofit audiences.
The conversation, in the room
On stage.
At the table.
From keynote presentations to panel conversations: making research accessible, connecting perspectives, and keeping the focus on what comes next.
Speaking themes
01AI and Workforce Transformation
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Explore how AI is changing work, skill needs, and workforce readiness—and how leaders can prepare people and organizations for what comes next.
02Labor Shortages and Demographic Shifts
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Understand how an aging workforce, retirements, and demographic changes are reshaping labor supply, and what these shifts mean for talent pipelines and community strategy.
03Skilled Trades
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Examine the workforce needs shaping the skilled trades and the role of education, training, and employer partnerships in building pathways into essential careers.
04Skills, Credentials and Meaningful Pathways
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Connect skills and credentials with labor market demand to create clearer pathways into work, advancement, and economic opportunity.
Planning a conference, leadership retreat, or policy conversation? Let’s discuss your audience and the questions they need to explore.
Start a speaking conversation ↗Leadership in practice
From ideas to impact.
Work that spans the systems shaping opportunity and the individual decisions that move careers forward.
02 / Investment
CareerWorth
An investor in CareerWorth, supporting tools that help people explore careers, evaluate job offers, and make clearer career decisions.
Explore CareerWorth ↗03 / Thought leadership
Research into action
Connecting workforce policy, education, skills, and economic mobility through speaking, writing, and conversations with leaders.
Discuss a collaboration ↗Selected conversations
Let’s connect
What could we
move forward?
For speaking invitations, book conversations, media requests, or opportunities to collaborate, tell me what you have in mind.
View speaker booking profile ↗